M1 Mac mini vs. Surface Pro 8: Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between M1 Mac mini and Surface Pro 8 specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

M1 Mac mini Pros

Reasons that M1 Mac mini is better than Surface Pro 8.

Much faster CPU performance

Apple M1 (8C, 8G) inside M1 Mac mini has a 52% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i7-1185G7 inside Surface Pro 8.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
M1 Mac mini - Apple M1 (8C, 8G)
7,414
Surface Pro 8 - Intel Core i7-1185G7
4,864
Surface Pro 8 - Intel Core i5-1135G7
3,980
Surface Pro 8 - Intel Core i3-1115G4
2,445
Has two more ports and slots

M1 Mac mini has more ports and slots count than the Surface Pro 8. It has eight versus six amount of ports and slots on the Surface Pro 8.

PortsM1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
HDMIYesNo
headphone jackYesYes
power portYesNo
RJ-45YesNo
SSD slotNoYes
Surface ConnectNoYes
Surface Type CoverNoYes
Thunderbolt 3Yes x2No
Thunderbolt 4NoYes x2
USB-AYes x2No
Total86
More versatile connectivity

M1 Mac mini has better versatile I/O connectivity than the Surface Pro 8. It has six versus two commonly used ports and slots on the Surface Pro 8.

PortsM1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
headphone jackYesYes
HDMIYesNo
power portYesNo
RJ-45YesNo
Thunderbolt 3YesNo
Thunderbolt 4NoYes
USB-AYesNo

Surface Pro 8 Pros

Reasons that Surface Pro 8 is better than M1 Mac mini.

Newer manufacturing

2021 vs. 2020

Supports larger memory

Surface Pro 8 supports a larger memory capacity than the M1 Mac mini. It supports up to 32GB versus 16GB of system memory on the M1 Mac mini.

Max system memory size
Surface Pro 8
32 GB
M1 Mac mini
16 GB
Upgradable storage

Surface Pro 8 comes with a single removable M.2 SSD slot that you can replace and upgrade in the future.

SlotsM1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
M.2
Onboard
Yes x1
About 25% lighter

Surface Pro 8 weighed 1.96 pounds, 25% lighter than the 2.6 pounds M1 Mac mini.

WeightM1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
Pound
2.6 lbs.
1.96 lbs.
Kilogram
1.18 kg
0.89 kg

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

M1 Mac mini Price
Mac mini Apple M1 chip 8GB Memory 256GB SSD MGNR3LL/A (Renewed)
Mac mini Apple M1 chip 8GB Memory 256GB SSD MGNR3LL/A (Renewed)
By Apple
$379.95
$418.95 9% OFF
Apple 2023 Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 chip with 8‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD Storage, Gigabit Ethernet. Works with iPhone/iPad
Apple 2023 Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 chip with 8‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD Storage, Gigabit Ethernet. Works with iPhone/iPad
By Apple
$499.00
$599.00 17% OFF
Mac mini Desktop Apple M1 chip 8GB Memory 512GB SSD (Renewed)
Mac mini Desktop Apple M1 chip 8GB Memory 512GB SSD (Renewed)
By Apple
$434.59
$719.95 40% OFF
Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Price
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 128GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 128GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
By Microsoft
$719.99
$1,099.99 35% OFF
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i7-16GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i7-16GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
By Microsoft
$954.99
$1,050.01 9% OFF
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Graphite (Latest Model) (Renewed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Graphite (Latest Model) (Renewed)
By Microsoft
$694.99

Availability

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
Released20202021
Release DateAnnounced on November 10th, 2020
  • Introduced: September 22, 2021
  • Pre-ordered: September 22, 2021
  • Released: October 5, 2021
Pricing
  • $699
    Apple M1 Chip | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $899
    Apple M1 Chip | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD
  • $1,099.99 
    i5-1135G7 8GB 128GB
    Platinum only.
  • $1,199.99 
    i5-1135G7 8GB 256GB
  • $1,399.99 
    i5-1135G7 16GB 256GB
  • $1,399.99 
    i5-1135G7 8GB 512GB
  • $1,599.99 
    i7-1185G7 16GB 256GB
  • $1,899.99 
    i7-1185G7 16GB 512GB
  • $2,199.99 
    i7-1185G7 16GB 1TB
    Platinum only.
  • $2,599.99 
    i7-1185G7 32GB 1TB
    Platinum only.
Generations

Exterior

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
Dimensions7.7” x 7.7” x 1.4” (197 mm x 197 mm x 36 mm)11.3” x 8.2” x 0.37” (287 mm x 208 mm x 9.3 mm)
Weight2.6 lb (1.2 kg)1.96 lb (889 g)
Colors
Silver
Matte Black Platinum
Keyboard and Trackpad-
  • Not included.
  • Compatible with 
    Surface Pro Signature Keyboard Surface Pro X Keyboard
  • Type Cover Features:
    • Activation: Moving (mechanical) keys
    • Layout: QWERTY, full row of function keys (F1-F12)
    • 4 directional keys; Windows, Brightness and Media Controls Keys;
    • LED backlighting
  • Trackpad:
    • Precision glass trackpad.
    • Trackpad size: 4 x 2 inches (101.6 mm x 50.8 mm)
    • Supports a five-finger multitouch gesture.
  • Surface Slim Pen Storage
    • Magnetic dock
    • Automatically wireless charge Surface Slim Pen

Display

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
Size-13 Inches
Info-
  • Resolution: 2880 x 1920
    5.53M Pixels.
  • Density: 267 PPI
  • Refresh rate: 120Hz
    60Hz default.
  • PixelSense™ Flow Display
  • Aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Inking: GPU Ink Acceleration
  • Touch: 10 points multi-touch

Ports

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
M1 Mac mini Ports
Image Source: Apple
Back (8)
  • 1 x power port
  • 1 x RJ-45
    1 Gbps
  • 2 x Thunderbolt 3
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort, Power Delivery
  • 1 x HDMI
    v2.0
  • 2 x USB-A
    USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Surface Pro 8 Ports
Image Source: Microsoft
Left (1)
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Right (3)
  • 2 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort, Power Delivery
  • 1 x Surface Connect
    Charging, Docking
Bottom (1)
  • 1 x Surface Type Cover
Under Kickstand (1)
  • 1 x SSD slot
    M.2 2230 NVMe slot

Internal Specs

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
Processor
  1. Apple M1
    8 cores, 8 threads, 3.20 GHz, 10W
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4
    2 cores, 4 threads, 3.00 → 4.10 GHz, 6MB SmartCache, 28W
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7
    4 cores, 8 threads, 2.40 → 4.20 GHz, 8MB SmartCache, 28W
  3. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G7
    4 cores, 8 threads, 3.00 → 4.80 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 28W
Integrated Graphics
  1. Apple M1
    Apple M1 iGPU
    8 Graphics Cores, 1280 MHz
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    48 Execution Units, 400 → 1250 MHz
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    80 Execution Units, 400 → 1300 MHz
  3. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G7
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    96 Execution Units, 400 → 1350 MHz
Memory
  • 8GB
    4266 MHz LPDDR4X onboard memory
  • Configurable to 16GB
8GB 16GB 32GB
4267 MHz LPDDR4X RAM
Storage
  • 256GB 512GB
    SSD
  • Configurable to 1TB or 2TB
128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB
Removable SSD.

Connectivity

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
Wi-Fi
  • 802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6 wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible
Wi-Fi 6: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax compatible.
BluetoothBluetooth 5.0 wireless technologyBluetooth Wireless 5.1 technology
Ethernet
10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)
-

Battery

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
Size-
  • 51.5Wh
    Nominal battery capacity.
  • 50.2Wh
    Minimum battery capacity.
Battery Life-Up to 16 hours of typical device usage
Power Supply150W built-in power supply
  • 60W power supply with USB-A (5W) (65W total)
  • Supports Fast Charge (0-80% in about one hour)

Software

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
OSShipped with macOS CatalinaWindows 11 Home
Built-in Apps
Photos iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Siri Safari Mail FaceTime Messages Maps News Stocks Home Voice Memos Notes Calendar Contacts Reminders Photo Booth Preview Music Podcasts TV Books App Store Time Machine Find My QuickTime Player
  • Preloaded Microsoft 365 Apps
  • Microsoft 365 Family 30-day trial
  • Preloaded Xbox app
  • Xbox Game Pass Ultimate one month trial

Camera & Audio

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
Camera-
  • Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing)
  • 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p Skype HD video
  • 10.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p full HD and 4K video
Audio
  • Built-in speaker
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • HDMI 2.0 port supports multichannel audio output
  • Dual far-field Studio Mics
  • 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos®

Misc

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
Inking-
  • Supports Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP)
    4096 levels of pressure Tilt sensing Best in class latency Paper feel 0.1mm precision magnetic storage
  • Supports Tactile signals with Surface Slim Pen 2
Sensors-
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Gyroscope
  • Magnetometer
  • Ambient Color Sensor (brightness and color)
Security-
  • Firmware TPM chip for enterprise-grade security and BitLocker support
  • Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in
In the box
  • Mac mini
  • Power cord
  • Surface Pro 8
  • Power supply
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Safety and warranty documents
WarrantyYour Mac mini comes with 90 days of complimentary technical support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase AppleCare+ for Mac to extend your coverage to three years from your AppleCare+ purchase date and add up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $99 for external enclosure damage, or $299 for other repairable damage, plus applicable tax.1-year limited hardware warranty
MoreVideo Support
  • Simultaneously supports up to two displays:
    • One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz connected via Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI 2.0
  • Thunderbolt 3 digital video output supports
    • Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
    • Thunderbolt 2, DVI, and VGA output supported using adapters (sold separately)
  • HDMI 2.0 display video output
    • Support for one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz
    • DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (sold separately)
-

Key Features

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8
At Glance
Released in Late
2020
Weight
2.6 lb
1.18 kg
Powered By
Apple M1 (8C, 8G)
8C/8T, 3.20 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,705
Single Core
Geekbench 5
7,414
Multi-Core
With integrated
Apple M1 iGPU
8 Graphics Cores, 1280 MHz
Configurable up to
16GB
Unified Memory
M1 Mac mini Ports
Released in Late
2021
3:2 2.8K
13”
1920p 60~120Hz
Weight
1.96 lb
0.89 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-1185G7
4C/8T, 3.00 → 4.80 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,404
Single Core
Geekbench 5
4,864
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
96 Execution Units, 400 → 1350 MHz
Configurable up to
32GB
4267 MHz LPDDR4X
Surface Pro 8 Ports

Comparison Summary

M1 Mac mini vs. Surface Pro 8

Apple has released the M1 Mac mini in late-2020. It is powered by an octa-core Apple M1 (8C, 8G). The laptop has an integrated graphics option up to Apple M1 iGPU (8 Graphics Cores, 1280 MHz).

On the other hand, we have the 13-inch Surface Pro 8 was introduced by Microsoft about a year later in late-2021. It comes with up to a quad-core Intel Core i7-1185G7 with a boost clock speed up to 4.80 GHz. It has an integrated graphics option up to Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics (96 Execution Units, 400 → 1350 MHz).

Geekbench 5 Single Core

M1 Mac mini1
Apple M11,705100.00%
Surface Pro 81
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-1115G41,16368.21%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G71,19570.09%
3
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G71,40482.35%
01,705

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

M1 Mac mini1
Apple M17,414100.00%
Surface Pro 81
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-1115G42,44532.98%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G73,98053.68%
3
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G74,86465.61%
07,414

the M1 Mac mini weighs 2.6 lbs. about 32% heavier than the 1.96 lbs. Surface Pro 8. Moreover, measured at 7.7” x 7.7” x 1.4”, the M1 Mac mini is much bulkier than the Surface Pro 8 at 11.3” x 8.2” x 0.37”.

M1 Mac miniSurface Pro 8

There are a toal number of 8 ports and slots available on M1 Mac mini. That includes a power port, an RJ-45 port, a Thunderbolt 3 port, an HDMI port, a USB-A port, and a headphone jack. With that said, it has two ports and slots more than the Surface Pro 8 that has a headphone jack, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a Surface Connect, a Surface Type Cover, and an SSD slot.

Moving over to upgradability, Apple claims that the M1 Mac mini supports up to 16GB Unified memory. However, it has an onboard memory module that is not upgradable by the users. It also has soldered storage, and there are no M.2 slots for expansion.

For Surface Pro 8, it supports up to 32GB 4267 MHz LPDDR4X memory. Like M1 Mac mini, it has an onboard memory module that is not upgradable by the users. Luckily, it has a single removable M.2 SSD slot that users can replace or upgrade when needed.

Comments

Ask questions or share your thought and experience about the comparison between M1 Mac mini and Surface Pro 8.

Loading Comments...